A new strategy that will guide priorities for further and higher education until 2030 was launched on Wednesday.
‘Malta’s National Strategic Action Plan for Further and Higher Education 2022-2030’ provides a vision towards developing a “dynamic resilient knowledge ecosystem” by 2030, based on guidelines that will tackle the current and future challenges the education sector faces.
It pledges an “innovative, inclusive, and quality-driven” further and higher education sector.
The strategy was launched by the Malta Further and Higher Education Authority (MFHEA) and the Education Ministry.
The MFHEA is an independent entity that oversees quality standards in education and is tasked with regulating educational institutions that provide further and higher education.
Speaking during the launch, MFHEA CEO Rose Anne Cuschieri said the strategy was important to ensure that Malta’s higher education sector was not isolated, and so that it would take on new trends seen globally.
“We want to prepare the island’s education system to be ready for what the future will bring, for the new opportunities we will face, and for our education system to be available for all students, regardless of their age or background,” she said.
It was explained that the challenges further and higher education faces are multi-faceted and complex and the sector is impacted by several themes- including the island’s current demographic trend, socio-economic situation, rapid improvement of technology, and the geopolitical situation.
She said the strategy is based on discussions held during consultations with key stakeholders, institutions, post-secondaries, and interested parties.
Cuschieri said the strategic plan places the student's wellbeing at the centre and focuses on providing a high-quality education system that opens the gates to new employment opportunities.
“The Maltese context, identity, cultural heritage, and language will be a central element across all objectives and targets of the strategy,” she explained.
“Malta shall maintain a high-quality level for further and higher education, which will be accessible to all students, irrespective of their socioeconomic background, and will be responsive to their needs and circumstances throughout their lives.”
She said a key principle of the strategy was to ensure strong coordination between all stakeholders, and clear assignment of roles and responsibilities.
The strategy includes seven main pillars that provide recommended measures and targeted outcomes covering seven priority areas. They are:
- Strengthening Policy Design and Governance
- Quality Assurance and Transparency
- Internationalisation and Mobility
- Educational Attainment, Retention and Completion
- Relevance of Teaching, Learning and Research
- Widening Participation and Adult Learning
- Exploring Emerging opportunities
She said it was important that the measures were implemented, adding it was “useless” to write a strategy that was left on paper.
“We need to ensure these measures and pillars are implemented to ensure that Malta’s future higher and further education is of high quality,” she said.
Speaking during the launch, Education Minister Clifton Grima said the strategy was an important step forward, and he is pleased to see so many stakeholders who provided their input in the document.
“It is important that we are proactive, and work towards our country being provided with a high-quality standard of education,” he said.